Stock Watch — August 3, 2026
Market Day Summary | Not investment advice
📊 INDICES
| Index | Prev Close (Jul 31) | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | 24,383.60 | +66.45 | +0.27% ↗️ |
| Nifty Bank | 57,264.85 | +117.85 | +0.21% ↗️ |
| FinNifty | ~24,239 | ~Flat | ~0.00% ➡️ |
| Nifty IT | ~30,850 | -420 | -1.34% ↘️ |
| GIFT Nifty (Aug 3) | 24,564.00 | +116.00 | +0.47% ↗️ |
Pre-market signal: GIFT Nifty at 24,564 (+0.47%, +116 pts) — strong positive open expected. Trump announced fresh Iran peace talks, crude dropped 6.5% overnight. US-Iran ceasefire hopes boosting global risk appetite. India VIX cooled to ~12. Nifty reclaimed 200-day EMA; RSI at 59. Three consecutive winning sessions last week (+2.59% weekly).
Key levels for Aug 3: Nifty Support: 24,200 | Resistance: 24,500. Bank Nifty: S 56,800 | R 57,500.
🏦 BANKS — Digital Payments Focus
| Bank | Symbol | Prev Close (₹) | Change % | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBI | SBIN | 1,026.80 | +0.15% | ↗️ |
| Kotak Mahindra | KOTAKBANK | 384.75 | +0.37% | ↗️ |
| Axis Bank | AXISBANK | 1,229.55 | +0.06% | ➡️ |
| ICICI Bank | ICICIBANK | 1,435.40 | -0.60% | ↘️ |
| HDFC Bank | HDFCBANK | 748.15 | -0.77% | ↘️ |
Expectation: Banking stocks mixed on Jul 31. HDFC Bank slipped -0.77% — hit 52-week low of ₹747.20 during the session, lowest since listing merger adjustment. ICICI Bank declined -0.60%. SBI held flat near ₹1,027 ahead of its Q1 FY27 earnings on Aug 7 — a key event this week. RBI MPC decision on Aug 5 is the biggest domestic catalyst — widely expected to hold repo at 5.25%. Nuvama: focus on policy guidance, not the rate decision. HDFC & ICICI raised FCNR(B) dollar deposit rates by 25 bps to 6.25%. Corporate and personal loans drove 63% of bank credit growth in Q1 (SBI Research). Axis & Kotak hiked overseas card transaction charges to 3.5% from Aug 2026.
💳 FINTECH — Pure Play
Tier B1: Digital Payments & Wallets
| Company | Symbol | Prev Close (₹) | Change % | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paytm (One97) | PAYTM | 1,332.50 | +0.19% | ↗️ |
| MobiKwik | MOBIKWIK | ~199.24 | ~-0.69% | ↘️ |
Paytm consolidating near ₹1,330. Stock up 43% from 52W low. Q1 FY27 results strong: Net profit ₹220 cr (+79% YoY), highest-ever EBITDA ₹203 cr (+182% YoY, 8.29% margin). Goldman Sachs: Buy, TP ₹1,425. MobiKwik down from listing highs, trading near ₹199. Apple Pay India entry discussions (mid-2026) continue to weigh on digital payments sentiment.
Tier B2: Insurance & Credit Marketplaces
| Company | Symbol | Prev Close (₹) | Change % | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB Fintech (PolicyBazaar) | PBFINTECH | ~1,751.00 | ~Flat | ➡️ |
PB Fintech stable near ₹1,751. Retail health insurance growth (20% YoY) supporting long-term thesis. Targeting ₹1,000 cr PAT by FY27.
Tier B3: Payment Infrastructure & Gateways
| Company | Symbol | Prev Close (₹) | Change % | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPST | NPST | 1,108.00 | +15.50% | ↗️ |
| Pine Labs | PINELABS | 140.00 | -0.12% | ➡️ |
| Infibeam (AvenuesAI) | INFIBEAM | ~17.95 | ~+1.50% | ↗️ |
NPST was the standout fintech gainer last week — surged 15.5% on Jul 30 on massive volumes. UPI infrastructure pure-play benefiting from record UPI volumes: 23.66 billion transactions worth ₹29.88 lakh crore in July 2026 (new all-time highs per NPCI). Pine Labs flat at ₹140, near 52W low (₹134.73). JPMorgan initiated coverage with Neutral, TP ₹165 — revenue growth normalising to 17% CAGR. Infibeam (now AvenuesAI) nudged up to ~₹18.
Tier B4: Payments Banking & Cards
| Company | Symbol | Prev Close (₹) | Change % | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fino Payments Bank | FINOPB | ~163.00 | ~-0.55% | ↘️ |
| SBI Card | SBICARD | 657.80 | ~-0.70% | ↘️ |
Fino witnessing first revenue contraction in 3 years. SBI Card under pressure — Motilal Oswal: Neutral, TP ₹700. NIM compression and competitive card market headwinds.
Tier B5: ATM & Cash (Peripheral)
| Company | Symbol | Prev Close (₹) | Change % | Direction | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGS Transact | AGSTRA | ~3.01 | ~-2.01% | ↘️ | ⚠️ Under CIRP |
AGS Transact remains under Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP). Stock at penny levels. Not recommended for new positions.
📰 Sector News
- UPI hits all-time record: 23.66 billion transactions, ₹29.88 lakh crore in July 2026 — highest ever monthly volume and value (NPCI)
- RBI MPC meeting Aug 3-5 — rate hold at 5.25% widely expected; focus on guidance amid Iran-fueled crude volatility
- Trump announces Iran peace talks — crude dropped 6.5% overnight, boosting global risk sentiment
- US-Iran ceasefire fragile — Iran reportedly fired cruise missile at US oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz; situation fluid
- SEBI Closing Auction Session (CAS) goes live from Aug 3 — new market closing mechanics for F&O and cash segments
- NSE/BSE market closing time changes from Aug 3 — benchmark prices for indices and stocks now end at 3:15 PM
- 350+ companies reporting Q1 FY27 results Aug 3-8 — SBI (Aug 7), Bharti Airtel, ONGC, Hero MotoCorp, Titan, Nykaa among key names
- FII net buyers ₹2,150 cr on Jul 31 — strong foreign inflows continuing for third consecutive session
- India excluded from JPMorgan bond index expansion — negative for Indian bonds; rupee and RBI policy in focus
- PhonePe launches “PulsePro” — hyperlocal market intelligence; maintains 47.2% UPI market share
- Bharat Coking Coal IPO subscribed 143.85x — strong retail interest
- Gold at $4,070/oz — up 0.6% on Iran talks easing rate-hike concerns
🔥 Top Movers (Jul 31)
| Stock | Direction | Move |
|---|---|---|
| NPST | ↗️ | +15.50% |
| Kotak Mahindra | ↗️ | +0.37% |
| SBI | ↗️ | +0.15% |
| Paytm | ↗️ | +0.19% |
| HDFC Bank | ↘️ | -0.77% |
| ICICI Bank | ↘️ | -0.60% |
| SBI Card | ↘️ | -0.70% |
| Fino Payments | ↘️ | -0.55% |
Sources: Moneycontrol, NSE India, Economic Times Markets, 5paisa, Trendlyne, Choice India, ET Money Disclaimer: AI-generated for educational purposes. Not investment advice. For informational purposes only. Summary as of 08:15 IST, August 3, 2026